Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Commissioner Michael B. Cline said today the agency has learned enough in its ongoing testing and assessment of the Sherman-Minton Bridge to rule out that a full replacement of the bridge will be needed. INDOT, together with Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials and contractors working on the bridge, expect to complete testing and analysis by early October.

“We won’t know with 100 percent certainty as to what the repair solution will be until our testing is complete, but nothing we have seen indicates that replacing the bridge is necessary,” said Cline.

Replacement would have been the most costly and time consuming of conclusions for addressing problems plaguing the bridge. INDOT expects to have cost estimates for the repairs and estimated time to make them after inspectors and engineers have completed their analysis.

Governor Mitch Daniels ordered the Interstate 64 bridge over the Ohio River between New Albany and Louisville closed on September 9 after inspectors discovered a crack in a critical load-carrying element of the bridge. Structural engineers from the state and private sectors have been conducting ongoing maintenance and examinations of the bridge since early this year.

“Keeping with Governor Daniels’ directive to move quickly yet safely, INDOT will meet with potential contractors next week so we can be ready to start repairs and reopen the bridge at the first possible moment,” said Cline. “We don’t know the exact fix yet, but we want to discuss options with contractors and get their input.”